Fascinating article On growing trees super fast.

[TxA&Mhunter]

im not sure if any of y'all had seen this or not but I found it Interesting..
I'mNot sure it's entirely practical however I'm thinking of giving this a try on small area. Digging up or amending 1 meter of soil will be a challenge.


https://fellowsblog.ted.com/how-to-grow-a-forest-really-really-fast-d27df202ba09

 

[bjseiler]

Really neat.

 

[j-bird]

I find this interesting.....but I fail to believe you can grow a "mature forest" from scratch in 10 years. My issue with this claim is the term "mature". Can you really jump start the process this way.....I'm sure you can. But it obviously comes at a significant expense. My biggest issue is that not all trees are created equal. A "mature forest" of maple is far different than one of oak.

 

[John-W-WI]

Interesting none the less!

 

[TxA&Mhunter]

I think mature tree or forest is somewhat relative to where you live...
I'm still trying to find more examples of work that he's done work Or this has been used.

I would guess that that many trees competing in that small of area is the Catalyst for rberapid growth upward..
amending the soil one meter deep might also probably helps lol. That's what I think is the most challenging part of this more so than the number of trees..

 

[Native Hunter]

This is the forest I planted a little over 10 years ago (12 ?). Pic was taken today from my tractor. 90% of the trees are various oaks, and I saw acorns forming on many today.

This was planted on flat, poor ground with nothing done to the soil. All I did was keep the sweet gum and brier competition beat back so the oaks would survive initially. As you can see, I won't be going through this area with a tractor any longer. I will continue to do maintenance around the edges and the fruit and nut section on the east side.



Pine screen on the road side planted at the same time. I had a heck of a time with the pines - eat, rubbed, but I just kept replacing and working at it.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Native,

Is that a sweetgum on the left side of top pic?!?!

bill

 

[Native Hunter]

Native,

Is that a sweetgum on the left side of top pic?!?!

bill

Yes sir. About 3 seconds from being hit by my bushhog.

 

[TxA&Mhunter]

This is the forest I planted a little over 10 years ago (12 ?). Pic was taken today from my tractor. 90% of the trees are various oaks, and I saw acorns forming on many today.

This was planted on flat, poor ground with nothing done to the soil. All I did was keep the sweet gum and brier competition beat back so the oaks would survive initially. As you can see, I won't be going through this area with a tractor any longer. I will continue to do maintenance around the edges and the fruit and nut section on the east side.



Pine screen on the road side planted at the same time. I had a heck of a time with the pines - eat, rubbed, but I just kept replacing and working at it.

That looks fantastic, Did you plant acorns or seedlings, and what was your general spacing?
What are your general thougts on acorn bearing or fruit bearing trees in bedding type areas you plant?

A lot of the farms around us are cleaning brush and cover and we are looking to add more in order to hold and attract more dear and bucks who's habitat was cleared out.
The Last 4 years we have been focusing on attracting and because of their clearing of brush, we will
Shift 70% of our focus to planting for cover and bedding.

Again great pictures of your work!

 

[Native Hunter]

That looks fantastic, Did you plant acorns or seedlings, and what was your general spacing?
What are your general thougts on acorn bearing or fruit bearing trees in bedding type areas you plant?

A lot of the farms around us are cleaning brush and cover and we are looking to add more in order to hold and attract more dear and bucks who's habitat was cleared out.
The Last 4 years we have been focusing on attracting and because of their clearing of brush, we will
Shift 70% of our focus to planting for cover and bedding.

Again great pictures of your work!

Thanks TxA&M.

I did seedlings with nice roots. Rows were 13 feet apart, and trees were spaced about 8 feet apart. That's too close on spacing, but you lose a few, and you can also thin later if necessary. If I had it to do over I would make rows 15 feet apart rather than 13.

I'm okay with nut and fruit bearing trees being close to bedding but to hunt the deer effectively you need for them to be moving at least some distance, and you need to be able to hunt them effectively along the movement patterns. Most of my fruit trees are just a little ways off bedding areas. Oaks are a different matter. They are a climax forest tree so deer are going to bed and feed where oaks are, and that's why in years with good acorn crops, deer can be harder to pattern.

Another thing with fruit trees is that they will need at least some maintenance for their entire life. Persimmon is somewhat of an exception to that, but even a persimmon might need to have some big undesirable climax trees like sweetgum or cottonwood cut back from around them occasionally.

Your plan on improving cover and bedding is a great idea. If you also add fruit trees keep the movement patterns for hunting in mind as well.

Good luck.

 

[almanac12]

Interesting article for sure. The NRCS has done research on overseeding a forest with something like 5,000 acorns or other heavy mast per acre. The idea is that in two years, the acorns that sprout will shade the floor and start to out-compete weeds. But you have to do some sort of weed control for a minimum of 2 years.

The studies I read indicated 10% survival of heavy mast, and 0%-1% survival of lighter seeds (maples, elm, birch, etc.) after two years. So you end up with 500 trees per acre. The studies also showed really small trees - something like 10" each. So while this is an interesting thought, I'm not sure it would work out. Here's an example study: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/mipmctn8119.pdf

This article is proposing planting 3 - 5 trees per square meter, 80 cm (2.6 ft) tall each. That's 16,000 2'-3' trees / acre!!!!, or 400 trees in a 33' x 33' square area.

 

[TxA&Mhunter]

Oh I agree it's a ton of trees.
i would not attenpt this on a full acre. If I get around to to. It and can figure out to cheaply amend soil like he mentions.. I'd likely do it in 1/4 acre segments. In open (all grass ) areas we don't hunt for bedding and sanctuary of the future.

Fence it off with electric fence to keep cows out and discourage deer from getting in there at first.

I think the biggest piece of his is the amending of the soil but I just am stumped on how to do that practically lol.